Dear PoJo,
  Love the site!  I'm writing this for today is a dark day for all Rain
Dance decks.  With Jungle firmly planted, the Haymaker has gained a
critical new alley...Scyther.  The problem?  Gyarados used to be my
keeper of the Haymaker, resistence to fighting, he held down
Hitmonchan, and didn't take double damage from Electrabuzz.  Well his
weakness was grass...and Scyther showed up.  Now with no way to hold
down Hitmonchan without exposing yourself to Scyther, Rain Dance decks
have temporailly lost the battle with the Haymaker.
  Well what can we do?  A few solutions exist that could help...
-Speed up your deck.  If you run a slow Rain Dance deck(ie. Using
Chansey's to soak up damage while you built up your bench) try removing
any unescesary Pokemon, and replacing slow Pokemon with faster ones,
Chansey for Kangaskhan.  Also try adding more drawing power...
-For fast Rain Dance decks...well not much we can do.  Kangaskhans can
protect your bench and speed up drawing, and cards like Maintenence
speed up your draw power.
-Use Energy Removal and Gust of Wind to keep bringing out weak Pokemon
to keep alive.
-PRAY THAT YOU GET A GOOD OPENING HAND

  Well, we may be losing the battle, but we will win the war, as we
will be getting decent basics(FINALLY!) When jungle comes out...here
they are.
Pokemon No.: 144
Type: Water
Evolution: Basic
Name: Articuno
Level: 35
HP: 70
Weakness: None
Resistance: Fighting -30
Retreat Cost: 2
Attacks:
[WWW] Freeze Dry (30) Flip coin.  If heads, then defender is paralyzed.
[WWWW] Blizzard (50) Flip coin.  If heads, then all of opponent's
Pokemon suffer
10 damage; if tails, then all of your Pokemon suffer 10 damage.

Pokemon No.: 131
Type: Water
Evolution: Basic
Name: Lapras
Level: 31
HP: 80
Weakness: Lightning
Resistance: None
Retreat Cost: 2
Attacks:
[W] Water Gun (10+) For each W attached to Lapras that exceeds
requirements, 
add 10 damage to attack (max 2).
[WW] Confuse Ray (10) Flip coin.  If heads, then defender is confused.

  Well, Lapras could use some work.  An OK attacks, and a potential to
confuse, he does give you your money's worth...if only Water Gun were
like Vaporean's...Lapras would be soooooooooo kick @$$

  Articuno though has plenty of potential A badly needed basic, with
good attacks,  He will prove to be most vital with the current Fossil
decks on the table...(Don't want to give anyone any ideas. ;)

  Alright, Rain Dance be down right now...but just wait till
November...

  An evil laughing can be heard as the article ends...

-CJ
pokefreakazoid@yahoo.com

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